JESSPHILLI

We have a long-held view that boys should be exposed to the widest range of ideas and perspectives through our external speaker programme –which includes people from across the political spectrum. On 1st December 2022, Jess Phillips, the high-profile Labour MP for Birmingham Yardley gave a talk to boys, staff and our friends from the OX14 partnership on the role of men in violence against women. Fellow Brummie, Hamza (6.2, H Social) shares his thoughts on the evening.

On the day of Jess Phillips’ visit, there was a slight apprehension in the air around the College. Her topic was likely to provoke difficult conversations and self-reflection, certainly no bad thing. However, her talk took place in the week Labour had ramped up its criticisms of independent schools, so a full theatre was guaranteed.

Prior to her presentation, I joined a handful of students who were invited to dine with Jess in the newly refurbished Shop. Jess’ arrival did not go unnoticed, her strong brummie accent sliced through the room and it was clear that a fantastic night lay ahead. During dinner, the conversation ranged from contemporary Labour and Conservative politics to the restless efforts of her Yardley constituency and Birmingham City Council to tackle the apparently pressing issue of bees! Our eagerness was undeniable, leading to a quip or two being exchanged over the hearty dinner. Interacting with an MP was a fantastic opportunity, especially one who was from and represented my city of Birmingham. It goes without saying that everyone around the table found Jess’ character, conversation, and confidence at dinner to be incredibly impressive.

As the evening progressed, there came the point where many boys, staff and pupils from partner schools assembled in the Theatre to see Jess throw us a curveball on her challenging topic of choice. Jess began by providing some context to the harrowing issue of domestic violence and abuse towards women, followed by a response to modern media coverage and support mechanisms that promoted awareness and action. The audience was attentive to Jess’ views which was clearly reflected in preparation for the Q&A. Jess’ fiery passion and energy echoed that of the Theatre’s atmosphere as she answered questions head-on and it was clear many boys were impressed by her forthright manner.

Jess welcomed questions on any topic, and it wasn’t long before she was tackling questions about Labour policy and contemporary issues such as industrial action and NHS reform. Her force, flair and composure in the face of difficult questioning was stunning. By the close of the evening, her ability to inspire thought and awareness about an issue close to her heart was greatly valued by everyone who was present. The Warden summed up her visit brilliantly: “Politicians get a bad rep because they don’t always answer questions and they don’t speak their mind, so we rarely know what they think. It’s safe to say that Jess Phillips is a politician who answers questions, speaks her mind and, as such, we definitely know what she thinks.”

From start to finish, Jess Phillips’ evening at Radley was a great experience to be involved in, and certainly one where I was able to grasp and appreciate the political ideas and personality of a Birmingham MP.